600cc sport bike & high wind

[te']

I live in an area that has almost constant, and sometimes fairly strong, gusting winds. I'm on a yamaha yzf 600cc sport bike, and a couple of times when I've been out it literally feels as if the bike is going to come out from under me on one side or the other (the best way to describe it is the tires start to feel as if they're slicked, with the lower portion of the bike catching the brunt). I've got a 1000 miles on the bike already, and am pretty comfortable otherwise, but these gusting incidents make me very uncomfortable. Other riders are out and don't seem perturbed, however, the majority are on cruisers which I assume are a couple of hundred pounds heavier than my bike (my bike is only 400 pounds). Am I being overly nervous, or is it possible for a wind gust to take a lighter bike "down"? (I should add that most of the riding is on rural roads, at 65 mph average). Is there a way to handle the bike better in windy situations?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

[orFZ6rider]

What did you buy??? the Yamaha FZ 6???

If so welcome to the cool crowd, in my little world anyway.

[Scott58]

On my RD-400 I always had to stay low to reduce the buffeting. Never actually thought I was going to go down because of wind, but I certainly had to pay alot more attention. This was years ago, but I also remember going to Dunlop tires from whatever the stock ones were and it made alot of difference. Find out what's a good sticky tire for your bike and try those next time you change out. They wear faster, but will improve your handling in all situations.

[oldnslo]

I would agree with getting low as possible. Sitting up makes the rider like a sail, so logically, laying on the tank is gonna help. Also, maintain some speed. Slowing down a lot when it's windy can make it worse.
When you are riding in the wind next time, try laying down and increasing speed just a bit, and see if it helps at all. Seems to work for me.

[Sev]

Also try to shift your weight so that it is hanging off the side of the bike that the wind is coming from. This will better prepare you for those gusts, and allow you to react quicker when they come. You don't been to be rediculous in how far over you move, even an inch or two can make a big difference.

Stupid question, but how old are the tires? Seems like a pair of worn in tires might not grip all that well.

[Kal]

I'm on a 'light bike' and do a lot of dual carriageway <highway?> distance riding as well.

I have found it difficult in high winds to keep the bike 'in lane'. Occasionally I have lost the bike all the way across the other lane and had to fight to bring her back.

In those situations I have found that dropping the speed off to around about the 50mph mark gives me a lot more control over her and I just have to be patient with the additional travel time.

I ahvent experimented with dropping her speed under 50mph.

[pinger05]

Also try to shift your weight so that it is hanging off the side of the bike that the wind is coming from. This will better prepare you for those gusts, and allow you to react quicker when they come.

I live in the Mojave Desert of California and have ridden in 45MPH + crosswinds. This is the best advice to give, along with checking the pressure/condition of your tires. When driving in these conditions I tend to hug the tank on my cruser and shift my weight into the wind (yes it looks rediculous) and slow down a little.


Hope that helps.

[oldnslo]

The wind we have here on the Washington coast seems to be a more swirling direction-changing type, and hanging off just doesn't get it. At least, I didn't like the feel of it. It is natural to lean into the wind somewhat to maintain fairly straight forward progress without hanging off it seems to me. Low, maintaining a steady speed, and being relaxed but ready seem to work best. A multi-lane bridge like the 205 bridge between Vancouver, WA and Portland is a good test, what with the wind, blow-by from semis going 70 mph and cars flying along at 85, and the Astoria-Megler bridge between Wa and Astoria, which attains a height of about 240 feet over the water, and can get cross-gusting of 45 mph on occasion, is definitely another. I can promise you, on a windy day on a motorcycle, either one offers more excitement than any sane person wants.
Oh yes, further east up the Columbia River where the wind is brisk all the time are some very scenic bridges with steel grating all the way across. That is a whole new adventure...... In the hundreds of trips I have made across these bridges, I have never been swept across lanes by the wind. Just staying low, relaxed, and ready.

[Nibblet99]

[quote="te'"]I live in an area that has almost constant, and sometimes fairly strong, gusting winds....quote]

After riding in the dark, with drizzle, and 70mph gusts of wind (scary, almost got pushed off the road a couple of times to begin with), the best technique I found, for bendy roads, is to twist your body slightly away from the wind, bending your windward elbow, and straightening your leeward elbow. For me, when the wind gusts, it pushs the bike to the side, causing my body to automatically countersteer, into the wind.

Also, try to keep an eye on what you are feeling like, it's very easy to be so distracted by the wind, that you tense your body without realising. This affects your ability to turn the bike, to maintain your road postition

But it is very much a case of what works best for you

[shawnhpi]

I usualy slow down when high winds start pickin up in areas.

What is most annoying and SCARY is turning wind.

Comes at you quick from one side and the from the other side instantly specially over a bridge.

I stay LOW and slow. and dowhatthe guy said shift ure weight to the wind side..